to: repeal existing provisions in relation to rent assistance and consolidate and simplify them in one new part; and make minor amendments to: clarify the payments recoverable when customers receive economic loss compensation payments; apply the definition of “independence” to disability support pension youth customers; and clarify the operation of the income and assets test provisions. Also contains application provisions.

to: reduce the length of the liquid assets waiting period by doubling the maximum reserve threshold for liquid assets to $5,000 for singles without dependants or $10,000 for others for a two year period from 1 April 2009; and remove the surrender value of life insurance policies from the definition of ‘liquid assets’ for social security purposes. Also makes technical amendments to five other Acts.

to: provide students from Inner Regional Areas with access to independent youth allowance; reset relocation scholarship values from 2012 for eligible regional students and provide for the values to be indexed from 2013; reduce the value of the student start-up scholarship payment from 2012 and provide for the payments to be indexed annually from 2013; provide for the cessation of the Rural Tertiary Hardship Fund; and make technical amendments.

to: increase the income free area that applies for recipients of Newstart Allowance, Widow Allowance, Partner Allowance, Parenting Payment (Partnered) and Sickness Allowance; extend eligibility for the Pensioner Education Supplement to single principal carer parents receiving Newstart Allowance payments; and provide a 12-week extension of eligibility for the Pensioner Concessioner Card to single parents who are no longer qualified for Parenting Payment (Single) because their youngest child has turned eight years of age and who do not qualify for another income support payment due to earnings from employment.

to provide that: certain recipients of newstart allowance and parenting payment may receive a training supplement of $41.60 a fortnight; and early school leavers undertake full-time study or comply with a Youth Allowance Employment Pathway Plan to qualify for youth allowance.